Tony Burke: “What I’m wanting to do is make sure this is a process under the regulator and not a political process.” Photo: Facebook.
The Federal Government wants independent administrators appointed into the construction division of the CFMEU, as the union continues to reel over allegations of criminal behaviour and bullying.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke announced on Wednesday (17 July) that the Fair Work Commission’s general manager, Murray Furlong, was seeking legal advice on applying to the federal court to appoint administrators.
Mr Burke said the government would make sure that it happened, even if it meant introducing legislation to give the commission the powers it needs to take the action.
“The government will ensure the regulator has all the powers it needs to appoint administrators,” Mr Burke said.
But he was at pains to make the distinction between the government appointing administrators to the union and Fair Work doing it.
“What I’m wanting to do is make sure this is a process under the regulator and not a political process,” Mr Burke said.
“I do believe these actions are best taken by the regulator, but any action to appoint an administrator will be supported by me as Minister.”
However, the government won’t be deregistering the union, despite earlier suggesting that it might take that step.
“If we simply went down the deregistration path, we would have an organisation still capable of bargaining and doing the entire business model that we have been seeing reported over recent days with no layer of regulation or additional oversight that applies to registered organisations,” Mr Burke said.
Mr Furlong issued a statement saying: “I am deeply concerned about the alleged conduct and commentary that organised crime has infiltrated several state branches of the division, including that it appears to be embedded and ongoing.”
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said on Tuesday that the union could investigate itself and that external administration wasn’t necessary.
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